President Alger announces updates to JMU senior leadership team

President Jonathan R. Alger
announced today updates to James Madison University’s Senior Leadership Team
(formerly know as “Division Heads”).

Over the past several months,
the Provost Search Committee has been working diligently to identify the most
qualified candidates. After an extensive
and inclusive national search process, President Alger has selected Dr. A.
Jerry Benson as JMU’s new provost and senior vice president for academic affairs.

“The search committee,
chaired by Senior Vice President Mark Warner, did a wonderful job of conducting
a transparent and open search which produced a number of strong candidates and
in which input was received from a wide variety of campus constituencies,” said
JMU President, Jonathan Alger. “Benson’s
deep knowledge of the institution will be an important asset as we work closely
together in the future on the academic vision for James Madison University, and
his appointment will provide us with added momentum as we proceed to address our
educational needs and goals,” said Alger.

Benson came to JMU in 1980 as
a faculty member. Throughout his time at
JMU, Benson has held numerous academic positions including director, dean and
vice provost. Most recently, Benson
served as interim provost and senior vice president for academic affairs beginning
in July of 2010. Benson’s new post is
effective immediately.

Additional Senior Leadership Team updates include:

Donna Harper’s position has
been reconfigured as vice president for access and enrollment management. Harper has served on the Senior Leadership
Team and has been a direct report to the president since 2001. She has responsibility for a wide variety of
areas including (among others) admissions, financial aid, diversity, and special
projects and initiatives, as well as serving as Secretary to the Board of
Visitors. Harper will continue to
provide leadership for these functions that are becoming much more complex and
essential to the achievement of our goals and objectives, and she will be
charged with management of this new division.

In keeping with evolving best
practices nationally, University Counsel Susan Wheeler will now report directly
to President Alger and be a part of the Senior Leadership Team. Ms. Wheeler will continue to oversee the
university’s legal affairs and provide valuable counsel to the entire
institution in an era in which regulation and compliance issues permeate every
aspect of the university’s operations and activities.